Garment finishing table



Dec. 26, 1933.

J. W. STEELE 1,941,234

GARMENT FINI SHING TABLE Filed Oct. 26, 1931 L #s EN 7 j C-J /Z K Z INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 19,33

-UN1TED vs'm'liis PATENT OFFICE 6 claims. (o1. Vfis-1o) This invention relates to laundry appliances and i it has particular reference to a garment finishing table. j

The principal object of the invention resides in the provision of an ironing table, the operative area of which is purposely reduced below that of conventional ironing or finishing tablesin order that it may be-suited for the purposes for which the invention is primarily adapted. rIfhe invention is provided further with an auxiliary ironing table which is capable of movement relative to the main ironing table.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garment iinishing 'table'as alaundry appliance having such characteristics as to adapt the same to be used in connection with my shirt folding board, described `in my vco-pe'n-ding applicationiiled on January- 30` 1931 and bearing Serial Number 512,356.

' "A- further object ofr the invention `resides in the provision of a iinishingtable' of 'the'character briefly mentioned' in the foregoing in whichsuitable provisions are 4made for adjusting the auxiliary table relative to-"the operative area of the main tables The auxiliary table has an operative area less than the area of the main table and; is so connected to the-maintable that it may be dis- A posed above the same and movedfrom side to'side in the vprocess of finishing a garmentthereon, 'and lafterwards may be moved out of the way sothat i-.t will -not interfere with'any operations required i to be carried out on the surface of the'main table.v

Still another object of the invention is to provide a convenient'support for a hand irongcombined with other accessories, such as a sponge retainer and other-receptaclesnecessaryl to the work of finishing a garment.

Broadly, the inventionseeks to provide a garment finishing table, whose novel construction is such as to reduce to the'very minimum the numberof operations required of the operator in finlishing the garment. /In using the present'invention; the operator may adjust theposition of the garment on the table with one hand while the l other may be used for ironing'the garmentl and `through the medium of the auxiliary table, the

operator may finish a garment without having to freleaseY the iron at any time. This novel performance, whichis due to the peculiar arrangement of theelements constituting the complete assembly is instrumental not onlyin relieving the operator of considerable 'unnecessary work, but also enables the operator to increasehis capacity vand complete-'a greater number of garments in a shorter period of time.

and covered'with a piece of durable fabric. The

`may be of` no importance, it is regarded in the ing operation that the invention is primarily l adapted and it'is preferred that the table 26 be of such length and width that the tail of the With the foregoing objects as paramount, the u invention haspa'rticular reference'to its salient features of construction and arrangement of parts,

which will become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompany- 50 in'gdrawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a front elevationalV viewrof a finishing table constructed accordingto thepresent invention, and showing the auxiliary table in raised position, with broken lines representing it in lowered or operative position; Figure 2 is aside elevation, showingthe auxiliary table in lowered position, with broken lines representing it in raised or inoperative position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view, showing agar- 79 ment partially finished thereon;

vFigure 4 is a fragmentary detail view of the vsupporting frame for the auxiliary table; and

4Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail viewof the 75 table and supporting frame inverted."

Continuing with a more detail description ofthe drawing, 1 designates a base or pedestal'upon which is supported a rectangular table 2. The operating surface Aofl this table is suitablyjpadded approximate sizeof the table may bevdetermined by reference to Figure 3, showing its relationship in size to the garment 3 thereon. Y

While in some cases, the length of the table 2 present case as being more or less important in the nishing of shirts.

In this connection, it is pointed out that the shirt is rst ironed or pressed by automatic pressing vmachines, especially inr4 laundries having 'modern equipment. After the initial pressing "operation, the sleeves of the Vshirt must be hand ironed, as well as the cuffs and around the shoulders andcollar.l It is for this hand-finishshirt as well as portions of the sleeves, hang over the edges in the manner shown in Figure 53. In

being'so disposed on the table, the shirt will as- 100 sume a more natural position thereon andwill lie fiat; Moreover, the shoulder seams are more accessible tothe operator and-the fact that the sleeves overreach the edges ofthe table will enablefthe operator to tension the sleeves and move 1.05

them relative to the body of the'shjrt so as to cause the latter to lie flat upon the .board so that all creases and wrinkles may be effectively ironed out.

- Affxed to and extending upwardly, from the'110 of the table. about1 the collar as Well as about the shoulder back of the table 2 is a stationary hinge support 4, through which passes a shaft 5, disposed on a plane parallel with the surface of the table 2. Arms 6, which are integral with the frame 7 are rotatably connected to the shaft so that the frame '7 may be raised and lowered relative to the surface of the table 2. The frame '1, as apparent in Figures 1 and 2 supports the auxiliary table'8, Which is likewise padded but is y'of smaller dimensions than the tableZ so'that When it is in operative position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the greater part of, the garment 3 is exposed. Y

It has been stated that one of the objects of the invention is to provide means'bywhich the auxiliary table 8 may be movedi relative to the table 2. This means consists in a series of right angle members 9, fixed to vthe underside ofthe table 8 and having their ends rigidly connected With a pair of parallel rods 10, Which are slidinglyreceived Withinisuitable guide passages in wthezframe '7. Itvvillb be'A notedthat each ofthe Lrods isiprovidedwith a spacedfannular recess 11.- tiThese recessesare not of such depth as Vto *prohibit slidlngsmovement vof -the table 8 relative to the frame 7 but vonly to hold or latch the saine in -eitherof'tvvo Itemporaryoperative posivti'ons,'so"tl1at the ktable =Will not be accidentally Adisplaced,iduring the operationy of 'finishing the sleeves 12 'of -the shirt.

Only'av small amountof manual effort is required-t0 release the table for `4`sliding"movement 'into'either rof these two Vpositions.'Y f

r' Connectedalso to the frame 7 adjacent toits hinge support 4 isfa pairofbracketi members 13,

shown only in Figure `2. l When the frame 7 is .lovveredto bring theauxiliary table 8 into operative position relative tothetable2, the bracket members 13 Vengage-saidv support 4 and thereby serve to support the'frame V-7 and-thetable Scarriedi thereby.

rDisposedeat oneside of the'mainnishing vtable The table This receptacle is primarily intended to contain a sponge-and is pivoted so that it -may be moved outiof thevvay when not in use.j Receptacles 16,

situatedfat the -rear of --the table v2-are provided to contain accessories such as pins, collar supporting pasteboards and the like forthe 'conven- 1 ience of vthe operator.

In describing the operation of theinven-tion, the several steps in finishing a-shirtsvvill -be set l forth as an example and it is'understood that the 4invention is not limited in any manner tothe specific description to followv` since it is obvious that the iinishing table Yembodying-the invention may be adapted to other uses not hereinspecically set forth. Y

u yAfter the garment 3 has'been initially ironed, vas stated,` it is placed upon the' table` 2 in the manner shovvnin Figure 3 -so that the sleeves 12 will overhang-the ends vof the table and-.the tail portion of the shirt'vvill overhang the front edge The operator-thenpresses the shirt This being the case, it is convenient for the operator to adjust the sleeves 12 of the shirt so that the shoulder seams will =fall into the proper posiout returning (the ironwtothe rack '14, the forepart of one sleeve is placed upon the table in the manner shown in Figure 3 and pressed out.

The ironed sleeve is then replaced upon the board 2 andtheoperator, while still retaining hold of the iron'with one hand, may now by a slight lift andlateral -push With his other hand, shift the board 8 to the opposite side of the table 2, as

shown in`dotted-lines in Figure 3, after which,

the forepart of the other sleeve of the shirt is placed upon the auxiliary board 8 and ironed in thesame manner. After-1having 'completedrthis roperation, the sleeve is removed from Ithe vauxiliary board and the latter is returned to the inop- -erative position shovvnin full linesin-*Figure l `and by the dotted lines in Figure 2,-whereupon the shirt may be removed from the ,table 2-and folded upon the shirt folding board-described-in d my aforesaid-application or in vany conventional manner accepted Yor ladopted .by the llaundries.

Manifestly, the constructionshovvnfis capable! of rconsiderable modification' and such modication asis considered Within the'scopeand meaningof the appended claims also considered vWithin the spirit and intent-of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. Apparatus for garment finishingy operations,

.comprising a table providingfa restricted-ironing surface for the upper portion -of the-garment While leaving its netherportion dependingsf-rom thefront edge of saidl surface, andan auxiliarygL-LgY table memberA provided., Withganadjustable supportfat the-rear of said rst-tablepermitting said auxiliary table to be positioned horizontally-over said, i'lrst` table, said auxiliary; table being also shiftablelaterally in -either direction for lalter--f nately supporting the garment sleevesA in accessibleV position for thev sleeve ironingoperation :by the-operator at the front edge of thefirsttable.

2. YApparatus Yfor garmentwnishing operations,

. comprising a' table providing-a1 restricted ironingi.

surface for the upper po rtionofthegarmentWhile :leaving its :nether portiony depending vfrom the front edge 'of said-surface, an auxiliaryesleevesupporting -tablemember, and means providing 7a pivotal-supportbetween said -auxiliary tablet` memberand rthe rear portion offsaid first table whereby said auxiliary table may ybesvvung into vhorizon-tal position over saidrst table, :said

auxiliary table being also shiftable laterally. relative to its supporting means in oppositedirectionsfflgk` forA alternately supporting the `garment lsleeves vin*accessiblepositionf or the sleeve-ironingoperan tion bythe operator at the front edge ofthe first table.

3, Apparatus for garment finishing operations;

comprising a 'table providing .a restricted Yironing surface for the upper portion of the garment While leaving its netherportion depending .from the front edgeY of said surface; and an'auxiliary table member provided with means for adjust direction for alternately accommodating the gar-1V ment sleeves in accessible position for the sleeveironing operation by the operator atthe front edge of the rst table, said supporting means including means for temporarily latching said auxiliary table in either sleeve-ironing position.

4. Apparatus for garment nishing operations,V

comprising a table providing a restricted ironing surface for the upper portion of the garment While leaving its nether portion depending from the front edge of said surface, an auxiliary sleeve supporting table member, and a frame carrying said auxiliary table and provided with a pivotal support upon the rear end portion of said rst table whereby said auxiliary table may be swung into horizontal position over the first table, said auxiliary table having limited sliding movement *upon said frame in opposite vlateral directions for out of horizontal position over theV first table, said auxiliary table being slidingly mounted upon said frame for limited shifting movement in either lateral direction for alternately accommodating the garment sleeves in accessible position for'the sleeve-ironing operation by the operator at the front edge of the first table, and also having provision for latching' said auxiliary table in either sleeve-ironing position.

6. Apparatus for garment nishing operations, comprising a table providing a main ironing surface for the upper portion of the garment while leaving its nether portion depending from the front edge of said surface, an auxiliary sleevesupporting table member, and a frame carrying vdirection for alternately accommodating the garment sleeves in sleeve-'ironing position, one of said guide rods having spaced recesses for vlatching engagement with said frame for holding said auxiliary table in either sleeve-ironing position.

JAMEs W.Y STEELE.

lso

said auxiliary table and provided with a pivotal Y 

